Caveat: I hate you, 근데 잘하시네

I was assigning some homework to my student, Michelle, who is starting 7th grade. With typical early teenage hyperbole and a kind of breathless enthusiasm, she snapped, “I hate you.” But then, in the same breath, she added, in Korean, “근데 잘하시네.” [keunde, jalhasine]. This means, more or less, “But you’re doing well,” or “But you’re doing a good job.” And she smiled to herself, as she wrote down the assignment.
In fact, this shows an interesting contrast in the student’s mind. On the one hand, she hates me for giving homework. On the other hand, she seems to be acknowledging that that’s my job – to give homework. I actually felt like a very successful teacher in that moment, and I took the whole paired phrase, English plus Korean, as a kind of complement to and summary of my efforts.
Michelle is one of several students who are always trying to get me to play music videos in class. They point out to me various English language pop music videos, which I keep bookmarked for “reward times” (e.g. see below).
Today is one of those frigid days when I’m reminded of Minnesota. It was only -10 C (14 F), this morning as I walked to work, which is pretty mild by Minnesota standards, but with a brisk breeze, it starts to induce that crisp, snot-freezing vigor.
What I’m listening to right now.

Katy Perry, “Roar.” I like the song and its empowering message, though it’s a bit simplistic. The video is silly garbage, however.
Lyrics.

I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sit quietly, agree politely
I guess that I forgot I had a choice
I let you push me past the breaking point
I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything

[Pre-Chorus:]
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now

[Chorus:]
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar

Now I’m floating like a butterfly
Stinging like a bee I earned my stripes
I went from zero, to my own hero

[Pre-Chorus:]
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now

[Chorus:]
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
(You’re gonna hear me roar)
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
(You’ll hear me roar)
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar…

Ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
(You’re gonna hear me roar)
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
(You’ll hear me roar)
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar…

[daily log: walking, 7km]

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